San Antonio with kids: Where we stayed & what we loved

Picture it: You’re a mom embracing your vacation era. You’re floating along a lazy river, eyes closed, spicy watermelon margarita in one hand, and the other holding onto your kid’s floaty so he doesn’t drown while he sings the Cuphead theme song off-key alongside you.

Welcome to the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio–your new family summer getaway.

Located just over a mile from SeaWorld San Antonio and Aquatica, and a short drive from the famed River Walk, this is the perfect place to plan your summer vacation. 

My family spent five nights in one of the resort’s newly renovated and pet-friendly suites–just enough time to enjoy some of the city sights while spending each afternoon at the on-site water park. 

Even our pup, Penny Bay, was living the life of her doggy dreams as the resort offered a “Canine Cuisine” menu just for dogs, complete with chicken breast, “grrr-nola,” and other treats.

We’ve packed our memory-making must-haves; Come along for the ride as we traverse the Alamo City in search of family fun.

Rite of the River Walk

Plus some Selena Easter eggs!

The San Antonio River Walk has some amazing sights and plenty of art to appreciate, too!

A few years ago, when my oldest son was just a toddler, we visited our friends who were stationed at Fort Sam Houston at the time. Of course, they took us to the famous River Walk, but it was late, heavily crowded, and most of the shops were closing for the night. Not the best first impression, if I’m honest. 

This time, we wanted the full River Walk experience. We took a Go Rio river cruise, a great way to see the shopping and restaurant selection while learning the history of the city. As a lifelong fan of Selena Quintanilla-Perez, I was over the moon when our tour guide pointed out the very bridge over the river that appeared in the 1997 film, Selena. 

After the cruise, we explored the area as I searched for Selena’s Hollywood Walk of Fame-styled star. With a squeal, I darted ahead of my family to crouch beside the star in front of the Hard Rock Cafe for a photo. Bucket list item completed!

While the River Walk was beautiful and certainly a tourist hotspot, the kids were cranky in the heat and growing bored. We grabbed a quick lunch at the Rainforest Café, which definitely perked my boys up with all its animated jungle decor. I’m not sure my youngest took his eyes off the animatronic elephant wagging its ears in front of us for the entire meal.

I’d say the River Walk has been redeemed, for sure. Just make sure to go at the right time.

Building Bricks at Legoland Discovery Center

Virtual Reality, a 4D theater, and lots of hands-on fun

The Creative Workshop room is a great place to learn new brick-building skills!

Also on the River Walk inside the shopping center, we found my kids’ most anticipated attraction: Legoland Discovery Center. To get inside, we had to ride the Kingdom Quest, a slow-moving chariot on which the goal is to zap as many creepy creatures as possible to save the princess. After riding about five times, I am proud to wear the crown as reigning champion of my family.

Once inside, there’s so much to explore, it was hard to keep up. I marveled at an exact replica of downtown San Antonio built entirely out of LEGOs, complete with interactive components and alternating daytime/nighttime modes. The kids could create at several stations throughout the building, participate in building challenges, watch a master builder at work, and design their own race car to test on a track against other kids.

The in-house cafe was my lifesaver for a caffeine fix while the kids burned energy at the indoor playground. Costumed LEGO characters made special appearances throughout our day for photo ops, and even opened up a separate room for a LEGO dance party!

After corralling the kids from the playground, we headed into the 4D theater for a short film about a LEGO cop chasing a robber through the city. Watch out! Water sprayed out at us several times during the film in sync with the scenes on screen. Sadly, my hair was not prepared.

We also stopped by the Creative Workshop, where a staff member named Mark helped my son build a bus stop to add to a community collaboration project. While chatting, Mark explained that he actually works at the Sea Life Aquarium next door that is conjoined to Legoland, and that he was just filling in for the Creative Workshop that day. He was so kind to us that we returned the next day to explore Sea Life, too. 

Water Park, Swim-Up Bar, Buffets–Oh, my! 

Who needs to leave the resort at all?! 

Our suite’s balcony at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa

Sure, the kids had a blast at all the attractions we visited, but my happy place was right on the lazy river back at the Hyatt. And, yes, Eddie’s on the River does offer swim-up bar beverages conveniently charged to your room tab–dangerous, indeed! 

Besides the lazy river, the resort also has a two-story waterslide (which my son must have gone down a hundred times), and a wave simulation experience. After a long day on the water, we had to make sure to drip-dry over to the courtyard, where staff was ready to pass out supplies for s’mores on the bonfire. Now that’s how you end the day right!

We had to stop by Aunt Mary’s Lawn every night to see which family movie was playing on the inflatable projector screen. The Hyatt also has a quaint playground and daily activities for all ages. My oldest son even participated in a few rounds of gaga ball, a new variation of dodgeball that’s apparently popular with kids these days. There’s also a game room, gym, golf course and clubhouse, and a ranch-style spa. With so much to do, who needs to leave the resort at all?!

While there are seven different dining options on campus, we mainly ate at the Springhouse Café, where guests can enjoy a full buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast, I piled my plate with biscuits n’ gravy, bacon and sausage, cheddar grits, and some of the juiciest melon I’ve ever tasted. My boys were extra thrilled to find chocolate chip pancakes on the food line.

Dinners at the Springhouse Café are typically themed meals–cajun, comfort food, you name it! My favorite was the prime rib, complete with the au jus that my husband mistook for soup. He, on the other hand, preferred the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. We finished off each meal with an assortment of decadent desserts like pudding, cobbler, cookies, and tarts. 

Don’t expect to fit into your clothes after this vacation.

What are your must-see attractions in San Antonio? Let us know in the comments and on Instagram so we can add them to the itinerary for our next visit!

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